PNG provincial governors against system reforms

Provincial governors in Papua New Guinea say they don't want reforms to the provincial government system.

The Minister for Inter Government Relations said in a statement after much deliberation on the operations of the current system of decentralised government, the 19 governors resolved to retain and improve the current system.

Job Pomat said changes would need to be managed through a comprehensive process that considered views of stakeholders, and all the legal, administrative and financial implications.

On decentralisation the governors discussed issues, including the formation of district authorities, creating regional governments, abolishing regional seats, creation of new provinces, autonomy and the possible readmission of local level governments into the provincial government system.

The Post Courier newspaper reports the governors resolved for provinces to aspire for a greater level of autonomy within the existing system, and the National Government should adopt a framework to allow them greater autonomy.